Chapter 6

The sun began it’s descent below the horizon causing the wind to kick up and cool the Southern air. The reddish hues lit the skyline up with a wonderment of color. Bette failed to notice the sudden drop of temperature or nature’s attempt at creating a masterpiece of art. Her focus was on the arms around her body holding her close.

“Hmph,” Bette grunted as Donna Kennard made a point of squeezing her as hard as her arms would allow.

When Donna began to sway back and forth, Bette’s eyebrows shot up at the fact that her body had no choice but to follow suit, causing Tina to bite back a laugh.

“Welcome to our home,” Donna pulled back to look into Bette’s eyes and offer her a genuine smile and wink.

“As you’ve guessed this is my Mom,” Tina said. “Mom, this is Bette.”

“Yes your partner,” Donna said raising her eyebrows and emphasizing the word ‘partner’. She hoped Tina would pick up on her use of the lesbian vernacular she learned from her studies.

“Very good,” Tina said smiling. “Slightly disturbing, but good.”

Bette backed up slightly to remove herself from Donna’s embrace. However, Donna had other thoughts as she merely hooked her arm through Bette’s to lead her inside the house. As they walked past Tina, Donna hooked her other arm with her daughter’s putting herself between them.

“They’re here!” Donna called out as they crossed the threshold inside.

Bette was slightly stunned as footsteps grew louder and a door whipped open from near the kitchen.

“Aunt Tina!” Justin ran to his Aunt as she got down on her knees and held her arms out to embrace her nephew.

“Hey Ducks!” Tina hugged her nephew, gaining a smile by using his favorite nickname that she graced him with when he was younger.

Amanda came waddling after Justin, not as coordinated or quick as her older sibling, but just as excited to see her Aunt.

“Auntie,” Amanda said in a high screeching voice and wrapped her arms around Tina’s neck.

“I’m surprised you remember me,” Tina said smiling.

“She doesn’t,” Donna said sympathetically. “She says that to everyone. It’s a phase.”

Bette smiled as both kids showered Tina with affection bringing a smile to her face that Bette had not seen before.

“Hey Guys,” Tina pulled back and pointed to Bette. “This is my friend Miss Bette. Can you say hi to her?”

“Hi Miss Bette,” Justin said politely.

Amanda walked up to Bette and latched onto her leg causing Bette to smile as she looked down on the little girl’s tousled hair.

“Auntie!” Amanda exclaimed.

“Hi there,” Bette smiled at Justin as she began a petting motion on Amanda’s hair.

“Now there’s a sight for sore eyes!” Jonathon appeared in the doorway wearing the newly coordinated outfit that Donna had laid out for him earlier that evening.

“Daddy!”

“Hey Button!”

Jonathon engulfed Tina in a hug and twirled her around just as James had done among the crowds in the airport. Bette smiled at the feeling of déjà vu as she watched tears of happiness gather in Tina’s eyes. Jonathon finally set Tina down and turned in Bette’s direction.

“You must be Bette.”

Bette smiled at the extension of his hand, a more suitable greeting for her, causing her to smile and shake his hand firmly.

“Yes, I am.”

“Welcome to our home.”

“Thank you very much for having me,” Bette said politely. “I hear congratulations are in order for your 30th anniversary.”

“They sure are,” Donna said from behind Bette. “I can’t actually believe we’re splurging on a party this year.”

“It’s good for you Mom.”

“I suppose,” Donna waived off Tina’s remark not wanting to feel hedonistic regarding the event.

“The flight was ok?” Jonathon asked.

“I slept for most of it,” Tina answered for her and Bette. “Bette worked for most of it.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Jonathon said sincerely. “I hope you being here isn’t too much trouble at your gallery.”

“I’m glad to be here,” Bette said as she smiled at him.

“Hey Loser!” Jackie’s voice echoed from behind Tina causing her to laugh.

Tina turned around and hugged her sister, swaying in the same fashion as when her mother hugged her. Jackie pulled back and surveyed her sister while still holding her in her arms.

“Just for the record I didn’t miss you.”

“I know,” Tina smiled. “Just for the record I don’t care if you do or don’t.”

Both sisters started laughing as they hugged once more and then broke it up as Amanda’s voice rang out to grab Bette’s attention.

“Up please,” she demanded with her arms stretched out for Bette to pick her up.

“Oh,” Bette set her purse down and picked the little girl up in her arms.

Tina smiled as Amanda laid her head on Bette’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around Bette’s neck to feel content in her sleepy state.

“Sorry, I kept her up so Tina could see her,” Jackie said. “I’m Jackie.”

“I’m Bette,” Bette shook her hand as she held onto Amanda as well.

“Here I can take her from you,” Jackie pried her daughter away from Bette’s neck and handed her to Kevin as he entered the house and put the luggage down in the entranceway.

Donna wrapped her arm around Bette’s waist and leaned in squeezing her once more.

“I hope you brought your appetite,” Donna looked at Tina as well. “You both could use a drink of lemonade and some treats I bet.”

Tina followed behind Donna and Bette as they walked beside one another, Donna’s arm never leaving its position around Bette’s body.

Jonathon poured two glasses of lemonade and handed one to Bette and one to Tina as Donna continued to talk.

“Now I don’t want you to be shy Bette, our house is your house while you’re here.”

“Thank you,” Bette smiled. “I appreciate that very much.”

James and Jackie stood back watching the scene play out in front of them as if it were a comedic movie.

“I can’t believe how hot she is,” James said staring, once again, at an oblivious Bette.

“Her ass should be outlawed.”

Kevin snickered at his wife’s offhanded remark and then disappeared with their sleepy daughter to tuck her into bed.

“Who knew Tina could land such a hottie?” James whispered causing Jackie to chuckle.

“I forgot to tell you,” Jackie leaned in to talk quieter. “There’ll be a quiz on lesbian behavior at the end of the weekend.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

“Mom borrowed a book,” Jackie added.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” James said smiling. “I wonder if Bette would be my tutor on the subject?”

“You’re so bad,” Jackie said with a look of disgust on her face. “I can’t wait to see how often Mom quotes the book to show Tina she’s trying.”

“I think it’s sweet,” James said.

Jackie looked up at her brother who hadn’t taken his eyes off Bette as she sipped her lemonade and nodded at Donna explaining how she made her banana bread with the same taste as others, but with less calories.

“While you’re enjoying your lemonade, maybe we should give you the grand tour of the house so you know where everything is?”

Bette smiled at Donna as she wrapped her arm, once again, around her waist and began to guide her to the back of the house.

“In the back here are the bedrooms,” Donna pointed to three different rooms. “This pink one here was Tina’s.”

Bette smiled at the sight of the Pepto Bismal colored walls and matching carpeting.

“We made the mistake of allowing them to pick their own colors when we were decorating,” Jonathon said.

“Why don’t you change it then? I don’t live here anymore.”

“That’s precisely why,” Donna said with a hint of sadness in her voice. “I wanted to hold on to a small piece of you I guess. It’s how we old moms get when our kids move away.”

Tina wrapped her arm around her Mom and kissed her on the forehead. They walked down the hallway further where one entire wall was decorated with hanging photographs of the Kennards at various times of their lives.

Bette stopped and smiled at Tina’s high school graduation photograph.

“That’s Tina,” Donna confirmed the unspoken question on Bette’s mind.

“I can tell by the eyes,” Bette said smiling at the photograph. “You look very….”

“Young?” Tina questioned.

“Not the word I was looking for.”

“A fabulous model of 80′s hair?” Jackie chimed in from the hallway. “I think Tina thought she was a spokeswoman for Aqua Net.”

“Hardly,” Tina said as she cocked her eyebrow at her sister.

“Your eyes are the same,” Bette added in an attempt to make Tina feel better.

“Thank you I think.”

Tina looked at the photos as well, seeing one of her in the middle of two other people in a cheerleading uniform.

“Oh my God,” Tina said surprised to see the photo gracing her mother’s walls. “I haven’t seen that since the 10th grade.”

“I found it a year ago and put it up,” Donna smiled at her.

“I wonder what happened to Janie and Hillary,” Tina mumbled deep in thought.

“Who are Janie and Hillary?” Bette questioned.

“They were my best friends throughout grade school and middle school. We stopped talking in high school,” Tina said sadly.

“Why’s that?”

“They began to get a little too wild for my parents,” Tina smiled at her mother. “I was forbidden to hang out with them anymore.”

“I always say show me your friends….” Donna began.

“And I’ll tell you who you are,” Tina, Jackie, and James all echoed at the same time causing Donna to roll her eyes.

“It’s a tried and true saying.”

“They were good friends!”

“That got a bit too wild for our taste,” Donna said in her defense.

“It’s a very profound saying,” Bette interjected to lessen the debate between mother and daughter. “Who authored it?”

“Nobody I know of,” Donna said. “My mother used to say it and her mother before her. I don’t read much in the way of philosophy or poetry.”

“Oh,” Bette seemed surprised. “You seem to have a lot of books in the room to the left of the front door. I guess I just assumed…”

“Oh,” Donna smiled. “That is our library, but there’s not much in there that isn’t either a cook book or a Harlequin romance novel.”

Bette bit her tongue in an effort not to laugh at Donna’s literary choices. Bette merely smiled at her, knowing that Donna felt secure in her choices of reading material and although rather simplistic, Bette envied the woman for choosing works that simply made her happy.

“I belong to their book of the month club. Although, I’m not sure why they call it that because the shipment contains at least 4 books each month.”

Donna Kennard continued to walk with her arm hooked in Bette’s as she described her reading habits.

“I save them up and then donate them to the church for the rummage sale in the Fall and Spring.”

They walked further down the hallway where the several pieces of art that Donna had purchased earlier that day were hung.

“These are new,” Tina said staring at them. “When did you get them?”

“Oh,” Donna waived Tina’s question off as she now felt her impulsive buys to make Bette feel at home were silly.

“This morning she bought them,” Jackie chimed in.

“We were hanging them before we picked you up.”

“That’s enough James,” Donna said turning slightly pink with embarrassment.

“You bought these this morning?”

“I did.”

“What was hanging here before?”

“An old family picture,” Donna said. “It was outdated so I replaced it with these.”

“Why?” Tina pushed. “Most of the photos on the wall are old.”

“I wanted something new.”

Tina’s mouth fell agape as she watched her mother studying Bette’s eyes as she took in the pictures before her.

“Did you buy these so Bette would feel at home?” Tina accused her mother.

“Don’t be silly.”

“Yes,” James said. “That’s exactly why she bought them.”

“Oh Mom,” Tina put her arm around Donna’s shoulder as she blushed even further. “I can’t believe you’d do that.”

“Well the cat’s out of the bag now,” Donna said smiling at Bette as she glanced in her direction. “They were on sale at Target anyway.”

“Target?” Bette asked sounding concerned.

“That’s where I buy most of my art,” Donna said proudly. “Well what do you think?”

Bette remained silent, unaware that Donna was asking for her professional opinion. Tina nudged her in the side catching her attention.

“Ouch,” Bette said staring at Tina. “What was that for?”

“Mom wants to know what you think of the art,” Tina’s eyes pleaded with Bette to be gentle on her mother’s ego.

“What I think….?”

“You own a gallery,” Donna stated matter-of-factly.

“I do,” Bette said nervously. “These are interesting pieces Donna.”

“How so?”

Bette’s stomach turned at the insistence of Tina’s mother. The art looked like it was from Target, which was why Bette kept her earlier statement to non-descriptive words. However, she now knew Donna wouldn’t accept a general assessment of the art from her, she wanted details.

“I’m not sure where to start,” Bette said while staring at Tina.

“Start at the one with the fruit, that’s my favorite.”

Bette stared at the still life of fruit in a bowl and bit her bottom lip. The colors were drab, the art itself was unimaginative, and the lighting where it was displayed did nothing to bring color to the forefront.

“Well obviously it’s a still life of fruit, which is hard to do actually.”

“It is?” Donna seemed pleased she had picked a harder piece to display.

“Well there’s not a lot you can do to dress it up, but this artist chose bold strokes to infuse color into the fruit while contrasting it with a darker, shadowed bowl.”

Donna smiled pleased with her choice while Tina smiled knowing Bette hated the piece of “art” being displayed, but worked hard to make her mother feel proud of her choices. Tina knew that Bette would never lie when asked a direct question regarding art, yet she expertly tried to exaggerate some of the obvious facts of the art in a positive manner, making Donna feel happy.

“What about the sailboat one?” Donna asked, anxiously waiting for Bette’s opinion.

“The shades of blues are well blended,” Bette said closing her eyes briefly to gain her composure. “Do you honestly know what I think though?”

Tina cringed inside not sure where Bette was taking the conversation, but knowing that Bette truly did not like the amateur art that graced Donna Kennard’s walls.

“I think art is about personalizing the space in which it’s hung. I think a family portrait is just as much art as these are, but more personal, telling a personal story of your life.”

“It was older and we don’t even look like that anymore.”

Bette heard her cell phone begin to ring and then vibrate signaling to her she had an incoming call. She was never so thankful then at that moment that her phone broke a conversation up and was commanding her attention.

Bette pulled it out of her pocket and looked at the number flashing across the screen.

“Excuse me,” Bette flipped the phone open to ensure the call wasn’t dumped into voicemail. “It’s the gallery so I need to take it.”

Bette apologized as she made her way back outside and onto the covered patio to not disturb the family reunion with her phone call.

“Yes Jordana?”

“Hey Bette!”

“Hi,” Bette said patiently waiting for Jordana to state the reason for the call.

When nothing came from Jordana’s end of the conversation, Bette pushed forward.

“Is there an issue?”

“Well I have the estimate of damage for that art shipment and you said you wanted it right away.”

“I do,” Bette said beginning to pace as her mind kicked into work mode.

“The damage is estimated at $294,000,” Jordana said quietly.

“What did the shipping company do with that figure?”

“I haven’t given it to them yet, I wanted you to know it first.”

“Fax over the assessment documents with a copy to my lawyer because I assume it will get nasty.”

“I can do that,” Jordana said.

“Anything else?” Bette asked.

“Not on my end.”

“Let me know what is said once they receive them,” Bette requested. “All else is quiet?”

“As a mouse.”

“OK,” Bette smiled. “Let me know the reaction.”

“Later Boss,” Jordana said hanging up the phone quickly.

Bette shut her cell phone and turned around to go back inside when the scene in front of her caught her attention. The blinds were pulled back so Bette had a full view of the Kennard family. Her eyes were glued to Tina, who had a smile on her face that Bette had never seen before. She knew that if she wasn’t on the phone, she’d be expected back inside, breaking up the family moment that was unfolding in front of her.

Bette picked up her phone and dialed Alice’s number praying she was there.

“County morgue, you stab ‘em we slab ‘em,” Alice answered.

“That’s the most disgusting way to answer the phone I’ve ever heard.”

“Oh my God,” Alice chuckled. “I didn’t think I’d hear from you so soon! I’ve been dying to know how Ma and Pa Kettle are!”

“They’re nice,” Bette smiled at Alice’s affectionate terms for Tina’s parents.

“What are they like? I need details to share later when I meet the girls at Milk.”

“They’re normal, everyday people.”

“Were they nice to you?’

“Overly,” Bette said. “I got a bear hug from Tina’s mom. It was like none I’ve ever experienced.”

“Classic!” Alice said laughing.

“I need to just hang out here and pretend I am still on the phone with the gallery.”

“Why? Escaping already?”

“Because I want to give them some time to themselves,” Bette said sincerely.

“How’s Tina doing? Is her accent back in full force?”

“It’s getting there,” Bette smiled. “She’s just…”

“What Bette?”

“She just seems so happy, from her head to her toes, she is happy.”

“That’s good right?”

“I couldn’t ask for more,” Bette said. “It’s just strange to see her in this environment. I almost feel guilty.”

“Why?”

“Because her heart seems here with her family.”

“She was in California long before you met her,” Alice countered. “It’s not like she’d move back there and you’re the thing that’s stopping her.”

There was a momentary silence that fell over the two friends.

“You there?” Alice asked thinking she lost the connection.

“Yeah, I’m just watching Tina.”

“What is she doing?”

“She’s inside with her family,” Bette said smiling. “She’s so content Al.”

“Enough about her,” Alice said inpatient with Bette’s lack of details. “I want to hear about Ma and Pa Kettle!”

Bette snickered at Alice’s nickname for Tina’s parents.

“They are your typical Southern family.”

“Details Porter!”

“Her mom is wearing a grandma sweatshirt.”

Alice snickered and then urged Bette to go on.

“Her dad is normal, somewhat reserved about me I think.”

“What about her brother and sister?”

“Don’t ask,” Bette said chuckling. “Tina claims her brother has a crush on me.”

“Ya know what they say about Southerners,” Alice said laughing.

“What’s that?”

“About marrying their cousin is it? Maybe it was marrying your sister?”

“Neither of those is marrying your sister’s lesbian partner,” Bette said sarcastically. “I got questioned on art too.”

“To see if you knew what you were doing?”

“No,” Bette snickered. “Her mom bought some art, and I use that term loosely, at Target and wanted my opinion.”

“I hope you lied for the sake of your own ass!”

“I didn’t lie, I used fancy words to find one positive thing about each one.”

“How many of these monstrosities did she buy?”

“In total there were three,” Bette said laughing. “One was actually of fruit.”

When Tina heard Bette’s laugh she looked out the window and their eyes met. Tina cocked her eyebrow in question and Bette shrugged her shoulders and turned around to avoid Tina’s questioning gaze.

“That’s odd,” Tina muttered.

“What is Honey?”

“Bette’s usually not that happy about gallery calls these days.”

“Trouble at work?”

“A shipment was damaged,” Tina informed them. “She’s been on edge these days.”

Tina slipped her shoes off and put her feet up on the couch near her mother.

“What is this?” Donna asked in a slightly surprised voice.

“What?”

“This,” Donna held Tina’s foot in her hand and pointed to her tattoo on the top of her foot.

“Oh,” Tina knew her mother would be mad if she ever saw the inked art on her body. “It’s a tattoo.”

“I know what it is! Why do you have one?”

“It was a rite of passage when I moved to California,” Tina explained.

“I hate it,” Donna offered without being asked for her opinion. “I don’t think it’s proper for a woman to have a tattoo.”

“Oh but it is for men?”

“No,” Donna shot back. “I never said that. I don’t agree with tattoos of any kind whether a male or female is the one having the procedure.”

Tina looked back out of the window to lose herself in the sight of Bette rather then the current conversation with her mother. She was still pacing with the phone to her ear, but talking rather animated to the other person on the line.

“The heat here is unbearable,” Bette added as she continued to describe her trip thus far. “My hair is a mess.”

“I think the best part of your trip thus far is the art.”

“Ya know,” Bette turned around and looked at Tina once more before continuing. “I need you to do me a favor Al.”

“What now?”

“I need you to go to the gallery for me,” Bette said getting excited at the thought that just crossed her mind. “Talk to Jordana and tell her you need to ship me the private piece that’s stored in my office.”

“Ship it there?”

“Yeah,” Bette began to pace quicker. “I need it here by Saturday morning at the latest!”

Tina smiled once more as Bette waived to her and signaled she needed one more minute to successfully wrap her phone call up.

“I should put your car away Dad,” James said getting up and grabbing the keys.

“We were going to take it back to the hotel,” Tina said.

“Nonsense,” Donna began to argue. “I think you should stay here because everyone else is.”

“Why are they all staying here when their houses are only minutes away?”

“Because I want my family together for this occasion.”

“We are here,” Tina argued. “But all of us in this house? Where would we even sleep?”

“Well the kids are already asleep in your old room,” Jackie said. “We planned on staying in there with them.”

“I was sleeping in my old room,” James said.

“Can’t you sleep on the pull out and have Bette and Tina sleep in your room?” Donna asked.

“My feet hang off the edge!”

“That’s true,” Tina said sadly. “We can just go to the hotel Mom. I’m not sure you’re ready for…”

“For what?”

“I don’t know if you’re prepared to see Bette and I sleeping in the same bed,” Tina blurted out embarrassed.

“Oh fiddlesticks Tina!”

“Look out you made her mad,” Jackie said to Tina.

“You’re staying here!”

“Because you want to prove a point that you support us?” Tina asked. “I get that and appreciate it, but…”

“I’ll hear nothing more, you’re staying here on this pull out couch!” Donna said. “James put your father’s car in the garage please and then when Bette is ready we’ll eat and get to know her a bit more.”

Tina opened her mouth to speak when Donna walked away to put water on for hot tea. Tina looked outside and saw Bette shut her phone and put it back in her pocket. She ran out to meet her to break the news in private.

“Hey,” Tina met her at the door and pushed her back outside shutting the door behind her. “Everything ok?”

“The damage is almost $300,000,” Bette said sighing but forcing a smile for Tina.

“Thank you.”

“For?”

“Finding anything good to say about a bowl of fruit,” Tina said chuckling and casually playing with Bette’s hand.

“It’s my pleasure, she seemed happy after that.”

“She was,” Tina agreed. “She wants you to like her.”

“She shouldn’t try so hard, I should be the one who’s nervous.”

“Are you?”

“I’ll plead the fifth on that one.”

“Yeah,” Tina started out hesitantly. “So, what would you say if I said I had one more favor to ask of you?”

“I’d push you off this porch and claim it as an accident.”

“Babe,” Tina whined. “Please?”

“What is it?”

“They want us to stay here instead of a hotel.”

“No,” Bette shook her head.

“I couldn’t tell them no.”

“Then you have a problem on your hands don’t you?”

“Why? I can cancel the hotel and just pay $25 for the cancellation fee.”

“But how can you magically make pajamas appear since it was your bright idea not to pack any?”

“Oh shit,” Tina said as her hand flew to her mouth. “There’s always my Dad’s sweatpants? And I’m sure James has some old t-shirts.”

“Kill me now,” Bette said shaking her head and rolling her eyes.